|
Saddam defence lawyer is killed |
|
|
Wednesday, 21 June 2006One of the main lawyers defending former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein at his trial has been killed in Baghdad.
Baghdad police said Khamis al-Obeidi had been shot dead, and that his body was found in the capital.
Iraq state television reported he was killed by "terrorists". Chief defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said Mr Obeidi had been abducted from his home.
Two other defence lawyers were murdered last year in the early stages of the trial, which is set to end next month.
Mr Dulaimi said his colleague had been taken from his home at 0700 local time (0300 GMT) on Wednesday by men wearing police uniforms.
Officials said Mr Obeidi's body was found near the Shia slum district of Sadr City.
Unlike Mr Dulaimi who travels between Amman, Jordan, and Baghdad, Mr Obeidi had chosen to continue living in the Iraqi capital despite tenuous security, the Associated Press reports.
Execution call
On Monday, the trial prosecution team called for Saddam's execution as it delivered its closing arguments.
It said the former leader and two of his seven co-defendants should be put to death for war crimes.
The trial has now adjourned and judges will consider their verdict after final defence arguments on 10 July.
The defendants deny being responsible for the deaths of 148 Shia Muslim villagers in the 1980s.
The men are accused of launching a crackdown in the village of Dujail after a failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein.
The trial has so far lasted eight months and has been criticised by some international legal experts.
Some said the defence had been given a disproportionately short period to present its witnesses.
On 8 November two defence lawyers were shot in their car - one died. The previous month, one of their colleagues was abducted and was later found dead.
BBC News
June 21, 2006 |
Wednesday, 21 June 2006
Iraq
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LATEST NEWS
FROM MIDDLE EAST |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOST VISITED NEWS (DAILY) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
